A Shot of Adrenaline

Greetings,

I was talking with a buddy over the weekend who is facing some struggles at work.  “I wake up dreading another day of drama,” she lamented.  “I wish I didn’t need this job.” I get it, and you probably do too. We all face challenges, but it’s not practical to disengage from life, retreat to a room, cover our head with a lavender-scented pillow, snuggle under a blanket, or sit around waiting for heaven.  So how do we cope?         

The Bible provides the best answer:

"Keep your eyes on Jesus, Who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because He never lost sight of where He was headed - that exhilarating finish in and with God - He could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls" (Hebrews 12:23 THE MESSAGE Version)!

We keep our eyes on Him by studying how He lived, and the most important aspect of His life was prayer.  He prayed when He was alone, when He was with others, before He ate, before healing others, at His own baptism, in the morning, before walking on the water, and at the Lord’s supper.  He prayed over the little children, in the Garden before the betrayal, and He once pulled an all-nighter before choosing the 12 disciples.  While being nailed to the cross He prayed, while suffering on the cross He prayed, and in His dying breath He prayed, “Father, into Your hands I entrust my spirit.”  

In fact, He is still praying – right now – for you and for me.  “Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and He is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us” (Romans 8:34).

In other words, it’s always a good time to pray – to have a little conversation with our Lord.  This is one surefire way to “shoot adrenaline into our souls!” 

PRAYER: Dear Lord, we are excited to pray today.  By following Christ’s example, we are strengthening our faith, and getting a shot of adrenaline!  Help us plow through so we can win the race.  Never let us lose sight of where we are headed, which is with You. In Jesus' name,  AMEN~